How to Look After Your Garden During a Summer Hosepipe Ban

Summer is well and truly here, and the temperatures are certainly rising. Even if we have a few rainy days around the corner, it seems set to be a typically scorching UK summer.

One thing that goes hand in hand with a British heatwave is the dreaded hosepipe ban, which instils fear in the hearts of gardeners nationwide.

Don't worry. We've got plenty of top tips on how to look after your garden during a summer hosepipe ban, so if there is one around the corner, your plants won't have to suffer the consequences. In fact, with more people looking to reduce their water usage and help protect the environment, these tips come in pretty handy all year round!

At the Real Green Gardener, we've spent years looking after plants in all weathers, and we've got a pretty good idea of what's needed to make gardens flourish. Our maintenance service is available all year round, with our team able to take steps to conserve water and even water your garden during a hosepipe ban. Need our help? Give us a call on 01202 722943.

What is a Hosepipe Ban?

During periods of hot weather and draught, water companies can implement a hosepipe ban in order to reduce the demands for water. These bans may only affect certain areas of the UK, or they may be more widely spread. Check your local news channel to find out if there's a planned hosepipe ban in your area.

During a ban, hoses can't be used for anything – this includes washing cars, filling paddling pools, and watering plants. People who are caught using their hosepipes during a ban can be fined up to £1,000, so it's definitely not a rule worth breaking!

5 Tips for Looking After Your Garden During a Hosepipe Ban

1. Use Water from Water Butts

This is one of the easiest ways to water plants without a hose – just fill up your watering cans with water from a water butt! If you don't have one, you could see if a neighbour has any stored water that they're not using (or offer to water their garden too in exchange for some of their water!).

2. Save and Reuse Water from the Home

This is a great option for those who haven't been able to store water in a butt or outdoor water container in preparation for a hosepipe ban. Save any water that you use in the home, which might otherwise be washed down the drain (just make sure it doesn't contain any soap or bleach).  Put buckets, washing up bowls etc. in sinks to catch water and leave plugs in. This can then be used in the garden.

3. Water During Early Morning or Late Evening

When it's hot, there's no point watering in the heat of the day – water evaporates too quickly, and plants don't get to benefit fully from the hydration you're offering.

To make your watering efforts worthwhile, use a watering can to water plants during early morning or late evening.

4. Protect Plants with Mulch

A layer of mulch around your garden plants can offer good water retention, giving the ground the potential to store as much water as possible. Mulch should only be added when the ground is thoroughly damp, in order to slow down moisture escaping.

5. Check Soil Moisture Before Watering

A simple way to conserve as much water as possible – check if the ground actually needs watering before you head down the garden with your watering can. Even during hot weather, soil can sometimes hold on to quite a lot of water, so it's worth checking if you even need to get the watering can out. Who knows – you might be able to save yourself some effort (and gain a bit more time to relax in the summer garden sun!).

Call on the Real Green Gardener for Summer Maintenance

When the sun is shining outside, it's common to be busy doing different activities and potentially not have the time to tend to the garden. This is especially true during a hosepipe ban, when garden maintenance can suddenly become a much longer job.

At the Real Green Gardener, we have over a decade of experience in garden landscaping, design and maintenance, with a friendly local team who are more than happy to take on the challenges of summer gardening.

For more information, or to contract our garden maintenance service, give us a call on 01202 722943 or send a message via our contact form – we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Here's to a beautiful summer season and a garden that continues to thrive!